Lafayette Schools Try To Recruit Hospital Employees

Lafayette Parish is in need of teachers, and yesterday, several local representatives met with employees of University Medical Center about those individuals possibly becoming teachers.

Bruce Leininger, Lafayette Parish School System Human Resources Director, says the focus of the recruitment is University Medical Center, where employees will be laid off. Those employees will then be required to reapply for their jobs in late June when a partnership with Lafayette General Medical Center begins.

Leininger says there is a way for employees to become teachers. Anyone with at least a bachelor's degree could become classroom teachers within a year through the accelerated alternative certification program developed by the University of Louisiana at Lafayette.

Yesterday, eight employees of University Medical Center had a meeting with Leininger, officials from U-L and Bill Rodier, the Louisiana Workforce Commission Regional Business Relations Coordinator, about possible teaching opportunities.